Device for attaching a rail to a fence post



Aug. 18, 1970 w. L. BOYANTON ET AL 3,524,627

DEVICE FOR ATTACHING A RAIL TO A FENCE POST Filed 'May 24, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M56 fifio'dsur INVENTORJ 9 0 w.L. B Y NTO'N'. ETAL 3,524,627

DEVICE FORVATTACHINGYA RAIL TO A FENCE POST Filed-May 24, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 3 'Wcr/fe/ L Boyd/7 r 00 fioerf 1 Mc/rV/Affefi a/e fi/ioa es INVENTORS United States Patent 3,524,627 DEVICE FOR ATTACHING A RAIL TO A FENCE POST Walter Lee Boyanton, Robert J. McAllister, and Joe H.

Rhodes, Houston, Tex., assignors to Gibraltar Fence Co., Inc., Houston, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed May 24, 1968, Ser. No. 731,910 Int. Cl. E04h 17/00 U.S. Cl. 256-65 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for attaching a rail to a fence post. It includes a bracket which is adaptable for attaching a rail thereto and has connecting means for attaching the bracket to the post. It also includes pivot means whereby the bracket may be rotated relative to the post whereby the bracket can be used to attach generally horizontal rails and to accommodate for grade elevations, and in addition, can accommodate vertical rails which may be used to support gates or the like.

This invention relates to a device for attaching a rail to a fence post. More particularly, it relates to a device which may be rotated relative to the fence post to which it is attached to accommodate rails where there is a grade inclination as well as to accommodate vertically extending rails which may be used for the purpose of attaching gates or the like. The rails may be of the type to which vertically extending boards are attached to form a board fence, for example.

Many prior art devices have been developed for attaching generally horizontally extending rails-to fence posts. When the posts are of metal construction, for example, it is important that the rails be attached to the post securely. Nails can not be used to secure the rails directly to the post since nails can not be driven into metal. The results is that rails must be attached to metal posts by the use of some type of device which may be connected to the rail and to the post. However, it often develops that the rail is not perfectly horizontal relative to the post. That is to say, there may be a depression or grade elevation which requires the rail to be at an angle of either more or less than 90 relative to the post, since the posts are usually installed in a nearly vertical position, regardless of grade inclination. It is therefore important to have an attaching device which can be rotated on the post to accommodate such grade inclination. It often develops that in some instances it is desirable to have a vertically extending rail supported on the post whereby a gate or the like may be attached thereto. It is also desirable that the attaching device be simple of construction, easy to install and relatively inexpensive.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a novel device whereby rails may be attached to a fence post, such as a metal post, which will securely attach the rail to the fence post and provide for the necessary rotation thereof relative to the fence post and generally provide a solution to the foregoing problems.

Briefly stated, this invention is for a device for attaching a rail to a fence post such as a metal post and comprises the combination of a bracket adapted for attaching a rail thereto. It includes connecting means for attaching the bracket to the post. It also has pivot means connected to the connecting means and to the bracket for supporting the bracket for rotation through a generally vertical are relative to the post.

It is preferred that the pivot means support the bracket for rotation through an arc of at least about 90 and preferably for 368 rotation relative to the connecting means.

Patented Aug. 18, 1970 ice In certain embodiments of the invention there may be provided support means connected to the bracket and slidably engaging the post at a point or points radially spaced apart from the pivot means and cooperative with the pivot means and the connecting means for securing the bracket to the post.

Other embodiments of the bracket may also be provided with a counter-sunk pinhole, and the pivot means may include a pivot pin having a head seating in the counter-sunk hole, with the top of the head being generally flush with the adjacent portion of the bracket. Thus, the rail may be supported in the bracket without cutting the rail to accommodate the pin head.

Reference to the drawings will further explain the invention wherein like numerals refer to like parts, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view showing the construction of a fence utilizing the devices of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an isometric View of a portion of a round metal post having a device of this invention attached thereto, and in position to accommodate a vertically exiteliiding rail, as might be used for attacihng a gate or the 1 e.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of a portion of a round metal post showing the device of this invention attached thereto, which device is similar to that shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a portion of a square post,, such as a metal post, showing another embodiment of the present invention attached thereto.

FIG. 5 is a central vertical section of a portion of a square post, such as the post as shown in FIG. 4, showing another form of the connecting means and the pivot means of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but showing a somewhat modified embodiment of the connecting means and pivot means of the invention, such as that shown in FIG. 4.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a pair of posts 11 are shown installed generally perpendicular to the ground. It is understood that posts 11 may be metal posts, for example. They have attached thereto a pair of rails 12 and 13 which may be in the form of boards which are two inches by four inches in cross-section, which is a standard fence construc tion. In certain instances, the rails 12 and 13 may have attached thereto a plurality of vertically extending boards 14 to provide a solid wooden fence, for example. The rails 12 and 13 are attached to post 11 by means of attaching devices which form the present invention. The bracket portions of the invention are generally shown by the numeral 15. While FIG. 1 shows the long axes of rails 12 and 13 as being at generally right angles with respect to the long axes of posts 11, it often develops that, because of grade inclination and the like, rails 12 and 13 will not meet at right angles with posts 11, but will be either more or less than a right angle. It is therefore important that brackets 15 be adapted for rotation relative to post 11 to accommodate such changes. It is also desirable that brackets 15 be adapted for rotation to accommodate a vertically extending rail which may be used for the attachment of a gate, for example.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the device of the present invention is shown having the bracket 15 rotated to accommodate a vertically extending rail. It may be stated that the embodiment of the bracket shown in FIG. 2 is generally U-shaped in cross-section and is provided with two flange portions, each of which is designated by the numeral 1-6 and each of which is provided therein a plurality of nail holes, which is one form of means for attaching a rail thereto.

Bracket 15 also has a base portion 18 which is adapted for rotation relative to post 11 in the general directions indicated by the double arrow 19 about the pivot point of base portion 18.

Base portion 18 also has connected thereto support means which slidably engage post 11 at points radially spaced apart from the pivot point of base portion 18, and cooperative with other elements, as will be explained hereinafter, to secure bracket 15 to post 11 and reinforce the connection. One support means take the form of a pair of channel shaped portions 22 at each end of base portion 18, which channel shaped portions also support flanges 16.

The invention also includes connecting means for attaching bracket 15 to post 11 and in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, includes a split band 23 which may be of metal or the like and is provided with a pair of flanges 24 adjacent to the split for accommodating a bolt 25 and nut 26, whereby flanges 24 may be drawn together to securely attach band 23 to post 11.

The device of this invention also includes pivot means connected to bracket 15 and to band 23 for supporting bracket 15 for rotation through a generally vertically arc relative to the post. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, base portion 18 is provided with a counter-sunk pinhole 30 in which is seated the head of a pivot pin (not shown) attached to lug 31, which is connected, as by welding, to band 23.

So constructed and arranged, bracket 15 is adapted for rotation through a vertical arc relative to band 23 and post 11. Channels 22, in cooperation with the pivot means described above, and the connecting means in the form of band 23, help to support bracket 15 firmly relative to post 11 and thereby reinforces the connection thereto. Since channels 22 slidably engage post 11, bracket 15 may be rotated to the vertical position shown in FIG. 2 to accommodate a vertically extending rail, as explained above. FIG. 3 also shows in dotted form the position of rail 12, such as that shown in FIG. 1, having nails 32 passing through nail holes 17 and into rail 12.

Referring now to FIG. 4, another embodiment of the invention is shown and includes a bracket 15 which is similar to bracket 15 shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, and is adapted for rotation through a generally vertical arc of at least 90 and preferably through 360 in the directions of double arrow 40. Bracket 15 is shown connected to square metal post 41. In this embodiment, the connecting means is in the form of a generally L-shaped pin 43, best seen in FIG. 6, having a pin head 44 which is received in counter-sunk pinhole 30 such that the top of pin head 44 is generally flush with the adjacent portion of base portion of bracket 15. This feature permits the mounting of a rail in bracket 15 such that the rail may be fully seated against base portion 18 without cutting or otherwise providing a recess in the rail to accommodate a bolt head or pin head which would otherwise project upwardly from base portion 18, in the absence of counter-sunk hole 30.

As shown in FIG. 6, pin 43 is inserted through an opening 45 in post 41 and extends downwardly along the inside edge of the post wall. Pin 43 may be of the type that is straight when initially inserted through hole 45 and thereafter bent over to the position shown. Alternatively, head 44 may be threaded on to pin 43 to thereby secure bracket 15 to post 41. In any event, the operation of bracket 15 shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 is the same as that of bracket 15 shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3.

FIG. shows an embodiment of the device of this invention wherein the connecting means for attaching bracket to a post 48 includes a bolt 49 which passes transversely through post 48 and is provided with a threaded nut 50 at one end and a bolt head 51 at the other. Bolt head 51 is shaped to be received into countersunk pin hole 30 such that the top of bolt head 51 is flush with the adjacent portion of base portion 18 of bracket 15. The device is secured to post 48 by tightening on nut 50.

In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3-6, channels 22' in each instance slidably engage the post to which the device is attached and thereby help support the device generally relative to the post. In each of the embodiments of the inventieon shown, bracket 15 is adapted for rotation through a vertical arc of at least 90 to thereby accommodate for changes in grade elevation and to accommodate vertically extending rails which may be used for attaching a gate or the like to the fence. The device is simple of construction and easy to install on a post. Moreover, it provides a secure connection of the rail to the post because of the novel construction of the support means which permit the bracket to be rotated relative to the post because of the sliding engagement of the support means with the post. The novel construction of the counter-sunk pin hole permits the pivotal mounting of the bracket in such a manner that the rails do not need to be cut or otherwise deformed in order to fit the bracket. Further modifications may be made in the invention as particularly described without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, the foregoing description is to be construed as illustratively only and is not to be construed as a limitation upon the invention as defined in the following claims: What is claimed is: 1. A device for attaching wooden fence members to a metal post, the combination comprising:

a metal band arranged to frictionally engage the outside surface of a metal post; a pivot connection attached to said band for rotation thereon; and a generally U-shaped metal bracket having the base portion thereof attached to said pivot connection and having the flange portions arranged for attachment to a wooden fence member, said base portion having a channel shaped portion adjacent each of said flanges for frictionally engaging said metal post. 2. A device for attaching a wooden fence to a metal fence post, the combination comprising:

a generally U-shaped bracket arranged for attaching a wooden fence member thereto; connecting means for attaching said bracket to said metal post, said connecting means being arranged to frictionally engage the outside surface of said post; pivot means connected to said connecting means and said bracket for supporting said bracket for 360 rotation through a generally vertical plane; and support means connected to said bracket for slidably and frictionally engaging said post at a point radial- 1y space dapart from said pivot means and co-operative with said pivot means and said connecting means for securing said bracket to said post for pivotal rotation thereon.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 106,014 3/1963 Denmark.

ROY D. FRAZI 'ER, Primary Examiner J. F. FOSS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

